Synopsis

Jon B. turns a romantic R&B performance into a compact street drama. After getting a fresh shape-up at a neighborhood barbershop, he becomes caught up in a situation involving a woman in distress. The video moves between the developing rescue storyline, Jon's performances, and scenes populated by friends and local characters. Its late-1990s styling - oversized clothes, mobile phones, and mob-movie touches - gives the otherwise tender love song a playful, cinematic edge.

Factoids & Trivia

• The barber seen in the video is Tim Carter, a longtime friend of Jon B. Carter later became a vocal coach and worked with artists including Beyonce and Fifth Harmony.

• "They Don't Know" was released as the third single from Jon B.'s 1997 album *Cool Relax*. It became his biggest Hot 100 hit, reaching No. 7 in the United States, while peaking at No. 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

• The radio edit and remix versions incorporate samples from The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ten Crack Commandments" and "The World Is Filled."

• The song later found a new audience through its influence on Chris Brown's "Don't Think They Know" and through the use of its lyrics and guitar in Gunna and Chloe's "You & Me."

• The visual is often remembered for its distinctly late-1990s details, including Motorola-style cell phones, oversized clothing, neighborhood barbershop imagery, and a storyline that borrows from crime-film conventions.